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10 Reasons Why Your Customers Need To Advertise
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From AdMall, a great SAPA member benefit
Advertising
is an investment in the future of your business. And like any other
investment, you may not see the benefits right away or the benefits may
not always be obvious. Here are just a few reasons, provided to us by
Quaker State, why money spent on advertising may not only be
"necessary," but also beneficial as well:
1. TO GENERATE TRAFFIC. You
can't sell until potential buyers walk through the door. Advertising -
your "public salesperson" - brings customers to your store, increasing
sales opportunities.
2. TO MEET THE COMPETITION. Today's
marketplace is more competitive than ever. Quality advertising
counteracts your competiton's ads and helps you gain and retain your
customers.
3. TO MAINTAIN CUSTOMER LOYALTY. No business
can take loyalty for granted. After all, your customers can reach your
competitors in minutes by car. Continuous advertising reminds your
customers of the value of your products and service.
4. TO REACH NEW CUSTOMERS. Our
market is changing more than you might think. That means many of your
customers move away each year and need to be replaced. Advertising
raises awareness of your business among newcomers to the area.
5. TO MANAGE THE BUYING PROCESS. Not
everyone buys immediately. instead, customers go from shop to shop,
comparing prices, quality and service. Advertising presses home your
message throughout the critical decision-making process.
6. TO SUCCEED IN THE LONG RUN. Advertising
on a consistent basis increases your name recognition in the market -
giving you a long-term advantage over competitors who frequently cut
back or cancel their advertising.
7. TO INCREASE SALES OR COMPENSATE FOR A DIP IN SALES. There's
an unmistakable correlation between successful businesses and
advertising volume. Growing businesses invariably increase their
advertising budgets. And companies experiencing a dip in sales need to
promote in order to reach their customers.
8. TO PICK UP BUSINESS DURING SLOW TIMES. Even
seasonal businesses with slow selling days have bills to pay and new
customers to reach. Consistent advertising works for you when you need
it the most: all year-round.
9. TO PROMOTE A POSITIVE IMAGE. Good
advertising not only informs your customers, it builds and maintains a
positive image of your business in their minds. Consistent advertising
counteracts the effects of rumors and bad news. And positive
advertising attracts customers, regardless of the economy.
10. TO MAINTAIN STORE MORALE. Salespeople
are sensitive to every shift in the business climate. Cutbacks in
advertising and promotion may cause them to believe your business is in
trouble. Steady, positive advertising, on the other hand, boosts staff
morale. When your employees feel good about your business, your
customers know it.
Copyright 1995-SDS. All Rights Reserved.
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Pennsylvania moves closer to authorizing free papers for legal ads
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But papers say they'll lose vital income, and information may be lost online, in free 'shoppers.'
By Mark Scolforo | OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
May 15, 2009
-- Pennsylvania's paid-circulation newspapers argued Thursday against altering the rules for government-funded legal notices, while municipal organizations and ''shoppers'' that compete with the papers told a legislative committee the change would save tax dollars.
The House Judiciary Committee hearing addressed one of several bills pending in the Legislature that would loosen the requirement that such ads must be placed in paid-circulation newspapers.
Representatives of the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association said the existing system works to spread information to the broad public, but others said it was inevitable that either ads will be put on the Internet or the market will be opened to shoppers and community newspapers.
Pennsylvania School Boards Association lobbyist Tim Allwein noted a 2006 Penn State study said moving legal advertising to the Web would save the state's governmental bodies more than $20 million a year.
''We believe that community papers offer a cost-effective alternative to school districts that are already financially strapped and are looking for other methods to reach their constituents,'' Allwein said.
Rep. Glen Grell, R-Cumberland, said even the smallest municipalities in his suburban Harrisburg district spend thousands of dollars annually on legal ads.
''I think the taxpayers are entitled to some explanation why they're spending that much money and what they're getting for it,'' Grell said.
The proposals are being considered during a time of deep financial distress for many newspapers, and Judiciary Chairman Tom Caltagirone, D-Berks, said he worried about the possible implications of cuts to what has been a steady source of their income.
''It's a tremendous piece, I think, of their bottom line to keep them operating,'' Caltagirone said. ''I would hate to see the newspapers in this state come to an end, because I don't think it serves the public interest.''
The industry's falling circulation was a reason to support change, said Jim Haigh of the Mid-Atlantic Community Papers Association. Since 1976, Pennsylvania has lost 22 paid dailies and 153 paid weeklies, Haigh said.
''The standard consequence is legal advertisers paying more to notify smaller audiences than at any time in the modern history of our commonwealth,'' Haigh said.
Edward Troxell, government affairs director for the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, said greater competition would be a good thing.
''We have to be realistic, and we have to understand that times are changing,'' Troxell said.
Moving legal ads around to different publications might make them harder to find, said William Andring, a Democratic lawyer for the Judiciary Committee. He said that would let municipal officials bury notice when it serves their needs.
''People are not going to know where to look,'' Andring said.
Martin Till, publisher of The Express-Times of Easton, said that if the free newspapers get legal advertising, they will proliferate. But readers often ignore or discard them, he said.
''Our company owns these types of publications, and they are not right for public notices,'' Till said.
As for putting notices online, most of the state's daily newspapers and some weeklies already do so on the site http://www.mypublicnotices.com , said Ralph Martin, chief executive of Trib Total Media in western Pennsylvania.
Martin said legal ads make up less than 7 percent of his company's total revenue.
Caltagirone said he believes that, if a bill gets to the floor, it will pass easily.
Download MACPA's Testimony...
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1UP! releases News!Site 5.5 CMS software and GO!GEDIT business directory
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Revenue-Building Software Suite for Online Publishers
1up! Software announces the release of the latest version of its content management system software, News!Site 5.5, and introduces a new online business directory, Go!Gedit.
The database-driven News!Site 5.5 CMS, which powers hundreds of publication Web sites across the country, now has more advanced features geared toward improving your bottom line, including:
Mobile version of your site with ad banners · Video library with sponsors · Detailed per advertiser and per ad statistics · Site revenue forecaster · Third-party content providers · Improved SEO with automated Google site maps · Onboard WYSIWYG and photo editors · Extensive batch processing
News!Site 5.5 is affordably priced and includes full use of the software's comprehensive editorial and revenue functions, without separate charges or revenue sharing.
Go!Gedit comes fully loaded with business and services data for the local area, making it easy for a publication's sales staff to immediately generate leads and increase revenue.
1up! was founded in 1998 and brings experience from the Internet and publishing industries to the development of affordable Web-based products and services for publishers. In addition to the flagship News!Site 5.5 software suite and Go!Gedit software, 1up! also provides production and site management services through its division, 72dpi, including Flash and video ad production, and E!Editions of print products, sections and circulars. 1up!'s ad sales team, Rev1up! can also help publishers build a profitable online presence with sales training and development.
For more information, visit http://www.going1up.com/ or contact Maureen Mall at moreinfo@going1up.com.
1up! · 217 W Sycamore, Kokomo, Indiana 46901 · 765.452.3936
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Cheers,
Craig McMullin
Executive Director
AFCP
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